Manually operated key duplicating machine



-March 16, 1954 STARRETT 2,671,946.

MANUALLY OPERATED KEY DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed July 15. 1950 INVENTOR. ROY L. STARRETT AGENT Patented Mar. 16, 1954 MANUALLY OPERATED KEY D UPLICATINGv MACHINE Roy L. St'arrett, San Diego, Cali-L, assignor to Lloyd S. Starrett, San Diego, Calif.

Application July 15, 1950, Serial N in 174,067

6 Claims. (01. 29-76) My invention relates to a manually operated key duplicating machine, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a machine of this class in which the key to be duplicated and the key blank are arranged in superimposed fixed relationship to each other, while the file carriage incorporates a follower and a file in fixed parallel relationship to each other, whereby wear of the moving parts does not afiect the fixed relationship of the file relative. to the key follower or the spacing of the key and the. key blank, which promotes accurate depth control of the file regardless of the amount of wear which takes place in the device;

Second, to provide a manually operated key duplicating machine of this class which is very simple to set up and use;

Third, to provide a manually operated key duplicating machine of this class in which movements of the operator in actuating the cutting file need not be precise, due to the control of the file carriage guided by the master key, which is superimposed in fixed spaced parallel relationship with the key blank being cut;

Fourth, to provide a manually operated key duplicating machine of this class having novel slide bars for controlling the file carriage which are maintained in corresponding reciprocal relationship with each other by a guide bar engaging the slide bar connector which prevents tilting of the file carriage at an angle to the vertical;

Fifth, to provide a manually operated key duplicating machine which is very compact and light in weight in proportion to its utility; and

Sixth, to provide a manually operated key duplicating machine of this class which is very simple. and economical of construction, efficient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and. other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of; certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which: i

Fig. l is. a top plan view of my manually operated key duplicating machine; Fig. 2 is aside elevational view thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional view, taken fromthe line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing by dash lines the position of a key in the: upper key holder of my key duplicating machine".

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The frame I, key holders 2 and 3, key stops G and 5-,v thumb screws 5 T, 8 and'Q, slide bars l0 and I i file carriage l2, carriage guide clips 13 and I4, slide bar connection It, guide bar [6, and the file ll. constitute the principal parts and portions of my manually operated key duplicating machine.

The .frame l is provided with a base la, having openings lb therein, through which bolts or screws may be inserted for supporting the base securely on a bench, table, or other object. Integral with the base la is the upright la, in which are provided lateral openings Id and le, through which the reduced in diameter end portions 2a and'3aof the key holders 2 and 3 extend. It will be noted that these end portions 2a and 3a are provided with externally screw-threaded nuts, which fix the key holders 2 and 3 securely certain vertically spaced relationship on the upright portion I-c of the frame I.

The opening Is, as hereinbefore described, is vertically extended to permit vertical adjustment of the key holder 3 relative to the key holder 2, so that exact spaced relationship of the key holders 2 and 3 may be accomplished in order to coincide with the spaced relationship of the edge 92a of the guide bar llb of the file carriage i2, and the lower portion of the file ll. The key holders 2 and 3 are provided with slots 22) and 3b extending through their middle portions, in which the key stops 4 and. 5., respectively, are fixed by the thumb screws 6,, 7 and 8 and 9, respectively. It will be noted that the thickness of the key stops 4 and 5 is substantially less than the width of the slots 21') and 3b, so that keys may be gripped in theslots 2b and. 31) without abutting opposite sides of the-key stops 4 and 5, when the width of the slots 21)" and 3b is decreased by the thumb s'crews 't, 8 and 9', which. tend to force the key holders 2 and 3 together at opposite sides of the slots 21) and 3b.

The file carriage I2 is a rectangular frame having a master key following guide portion I211, and is provided with an opposed rail I20, parallel thereto, and'these-portions I is and I20 are interconnected by vertical bars I212 and iZe, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Secured to the bars 12d and file are file supporting fixtures Iii and my, in which the file: H is supported in parallel relationship to the follower portion I2a, shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The handle I2h is supported on the fixture I2g and provides manual engaging handle for operation of the file carriage I2, in reciprocal relation with the carriage guide clips I3 and I4, which are L-shaped clips secured to the ends of the slide bars I and II, which are reciprocally mounted in bushings If and lg in the frame I.

Secured to the opposite ends of the slide bars III and I I from the clips I3 and I4 is the slide bar connection I5. This slide bar connection I5 is provided with a central opening I5a slidable over the guide bar I6, which projects from the frame I in the opposite direction from the key holders 2 and 3, and surrounding this guide bar It is a stop member Ilia for limiting the movement of the slide bars Ill and II toward the key holders 2 and 3. It will be here noted that the portions I21) and I2c of the file carriage I2 are vertically slidably movable intermediate the ends of the slide bars i0 and II and the clips I3 and I4, respectively.

The operation of my manually operated key duplicating machine is substantially as follows:

When it is desired to duplicate a key, the key to be duplicated, designated A in Fig. 3 of the drawings, is placed in the slot 2b of the key holder 2, engaging the upper edge of the key stop 4, and engaging the end thereof at the hilt of said master key A, all as shown best in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The thumb screws 6 and I are then tightened, forcing the key holder together at opposite sides of the slot 2b, firmly engaging 0pposite sides of the master key A in adjacent relation to the follower portion In of the file carriage I2.

The blank which is to be made into a duplicate of the key A is supported in the key holder 3, in engagement with the key stop 5 in a similar manner to that hereinbefore described in connection with the master key A. In this position, the blank B is directly below the file IT. The operator of my machine then grasps the handle I2h and reciprocates the file carriage I2 longitudinally of the axis of the file II, causing the file I! to cut the blank B until the follower portion I2a of the file carriage I2 engages the master key A.

It will be noted that vertical movement of the file carriage I2 is permitted by the L-shaped clips I3 and I4 at the ends of the slide bars I0 and II. The spaced relation of the clip portions of the L-shaped clips I3 and I4 are precisely spaced from the ends of the slide bars I0 and II to exactly accommodate the thickness of the frame portions I22) and I20, providing accurate tolerance maintenance in the lateral direction of the file carriage I2, which is actually longitudinally of the master key A.

As the reciprocation of the file carriage l2 progresses, the slide bars I0 and II are moved outwardly in the frame I, through the bushings If and lg, toward the outer end of the guide bar I6, which causes cutting of the blank B by the file I'I only in the exact contour relationship of the tumbler-engaging portions of the key A. The cutting on the blank B is limited by the follower I2a of the file carriage I2 and thus the blank B becomes a duplicate of the master key A when finished. The guide bar I6 provides angular stability of the slide bars Ill and II in their'reciprocal relation laterally of the frame I.

When the blank B is finished and becomes a duplicate of the master key A, the thumb screws 6, I, 8 and 9 are released, permitting both keys A and B to be removed from the key holders 2 and 3, respectively.

It will be noted that the frame I is provided with an elongated slot Ie through which the reduced diameter portion 3a of the key holder 3 is positioned to provide for initial adjustment of the key holder 3 relative to the key holder 2, coinciding with the spaced relation of the lower edge of the follower I2a and the lower surface of the file Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In a manually operated key duplicating machine, a frame, a pair of slide oars vertically superposed relative to each other in spaced relation, and laterally reciprocally mounted in said frame, guide means, L-shaped in cross-section, on aligned ends of said slide bars, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted on said guide means at right angles to said slide bars and vertically movable relative to said guide means, a pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced one above the other and fixed to said frame, a file in said file carriage, a follower bar connected to said file in parallel relation therewith and vertically spaced relative to said file, and means for indexing keys and key blanks on said key holders.

2. In a manually operated key duplicating machine, a frame, a pair of slide bars vertically superimposed relative to each other in spaced relation, and laterally reciprocally mounted in said frame, guide means, L-shaped in cross-section, on aligned ends of said slide bars, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted on said guide means at right angles to said slide bars and vertically movable relative to said guide means, a

pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced one above the other and fixed to said frame, a file in said file carriage, a follower bar connected to said file in parallel relation therewith and vertically spaced relative to said file, and means for indexing keys and key blanks on said key holders, said key holders having slotted portions therein, said means for indexing keys therein consisting of plates of a thickness substantially less than the thickness of the key blank, whereby keys may be gripped in said key holders by forcing the side walls of said slotted portions together.

3. In a manually operated key duplicating machine, a frame, a pair of slide bars vertically superimposed relative to each other in spaced relation, and laterally reciprocally mounted in said frame, guide means, L-shaped in cross-section, on aligned ends of said slide bars, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted on said guide means at right angles to said slide bars and vertically movable relative to said guide means, a pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced one above the other and fixed to said frame, a file in said file carriage, a follower bar connected to said file in parallel relation therewith and vertically spaced relative to said file, and means for indexing keys and key blanks on said key holders, said key holders having slotted portions therein, said means for indexing keys therein consisting of plates of a, thickness substantially less 5 than the thickness of the key blank, whereby keys may be gripped in said key holders by forcing the side walls of said slotted portions together, and screws for forcing the side Walls of said slotted portions together and gripping keys on opposite sides thereof.

4. In a manually operated key duplicating machine, a frame, a pair of slide oars vertically superimposed relative to each other in spaced relation, and laterally reciprocally mounted in said frame, guide means, L-shaped in cross-section, on aligned ends of said slide bars, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted on said guide means at right angles to said slide bars and vertically movable relative to said guide means, a pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced one above the other and fixed to said frame, a file in said file carriage, a follower bar connected to said file in parallel relation therewith and vertically spaced relative to said file, and means for indexing keys and key blanks on said key holders, said key holders having slotted portions therein, said means for indexing keys therein consisting of plates of a thickness substantially less than the thickness of the key blank, whereby keys may be gripped in said key holders by forcing the side walls of said slotted portions together, screws for forcing the side Walls of said slotted portions together and gripping keys on opposite sides thereof, said slide bars at the opposite ends thereof from said file carriage havin interconnecting means, and a guide bar in connection with said frame, engageable with said interconnecting means for stabilizing said slide bars.

5. In a manually operated key duplicating machine, a frame, a pair of slide bars vertically superimposed relative to each other in spaced relation, and laterally reciprocally mounted in said frame, guide means, L-shaped in cross-section, on aligned ends of said slide bars, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted on said guide means at right angles to said slide bars and vertically movable relative to said guide means, a pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced one above the other and fixed to said frame, a file in said, r'lle carriage, a follower bar connected to said file in parallel relation therewith and vertically spaced relative to said file, and means for indexing keys and key blanks on said key holders, one of said key holders being vertically adjustably mounted in connection with said frame in order to properly index the master key and a blank relative to the lower surfaces of said file and said follower of said file carriage.

6. In a key duplicating machine, a frame, slide bars horizontally reciprocally mounted in said frame and parallel and vertically spaced relative to each other, a file carriage horizontally reciprocally mounted connection with said slide bars and vertically movable relative thereto, and a pair of horizontal key holders vertically spaced relative to each other in connection with said frame, parallel with said slide bars, whereby wear of said slid bars is in the same plane with said key holders.

ROY L. STARRETT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,598 West Jan. 12, 1904 870,218 Bowne Nov. 5, 1907 1,458,546 Rahmoeller June 12, 1923 2,167,341 Willock July 25, 1939 

